New test to predict advanced fibrosis in people with NAFLD

A new test may soon be available to predict advanced fibrosis in people with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).

NAFLD is the leading cause of chronic liver disease, affecting approximately one in four people, including children, worldwide.

An international research team developed a score, based on the PRO-C3 biological marker, to accurately predict the presence (or absence) of advanced fibrosis in people with NAFLD.

The team, led by Professor Jacob George and Associate Professor Mohammed Eslam from the Westmead Institute for Medical Research, the Westmead Hospital and the University of Sydney, found that PRO-C3 progressively increases as fibrosis becomes more severe.

Professor George and his team combined this data with routine clinical information – such as age, presence of diabetes, and platelet count – to develop a highly accurate tool to detect advanced fibrosis in NAFLD.